Role of Medical Translation in Improving the Health of Patients

By: Shahzad Bashir Posted on Thu, 05-10-2023

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In this article, we will discuss the role of medical translation in improving the health of patients. The medical field is one of the most beneficial, significant, and sensitive fields in the world. With different kinds of diseases, more exposure to risky situations, and the recent pandemic of COVID-19, medical translation services have always helped researchers for the better. It enables medical scientists in their struggle to find the solutions to make the maximum number of diseases curable. Also, it is really important to look for a better and more permanent solution to life-threatening diseases.

Nonetheless, all these discoveries and inventions regarding healthcare are not reported in one language. All the researchers and scientists from other languages have to go through the content after getting translated. Health and medical facilities are different in different countries, with more advanced searches in developed countries. The allocation of the budget by the government for medical research and development and prioritizing health also affects the facilities in a country.

How does medical translation help in curing patients?

Medical discoveries and equipment are being prepared in different lands of the world in their native language. The need for translation can neither be overlooked nor ignored. In order to facilitate the ailment of patients globally, it is important that the practitioners and physicians have translators, and interpreters on their side to facilitate the patients with the best cure and treatment possible.

Accurate diagnosis and treatment

Medical translation plays a vital role in curing the ailment of a patient who visits a foreign land in the hope of better medical treatment. A number of patients from underdeveloped countries visit developed states and foreign lands so that they get treated the best way possible. They can only diagnose the patients accurately once they understand the patient’s medical history, symptoms, and reports that he has with him in his native language. A relevant translation into the language that physicians and other healthcare workers understand will help everyone to understand their role in the curing of a patient better. They can treat the patient as per the requirements and can also avoid the things that may trigger allergies in the customer.

A myth about the English language

English is undoubtedly a universal language, but assuming everyone knows and understands English is a myth that has nothing to do with the facts. The fact states that around 75% world’s population doesn’t speak this language and the second important part of this information is that only 6% of the people communicate in English as their first language. The rest of these, though, do understand the language but can hardly get familiar with the medical content and records.  There are many other languages that have more speakers and who prefer to communicate and be involved in other activities in their native languages. 

Other important languages

Chinese, Spanish, French, Arabic, and German are a few to name. Therefore, a customer who is visiting an English country and lacks English proficiency may not understand his practitioner or physician’s comments on his medical health. This is where medical translation gets in with an imperative role for the better health of the patient. So, patients, as well as medical researchers, have to be mindful of the importance of medical content and its translation into languages other than English.

Reduced waiting time

Recent series of pandemics and other diseases have made the wait quite much in overseas hospitals as well. In such cases, hiring medical translation services in advance for both languages that physicians and patients can speak and understand can help in better medical facilities in less time. They further check if the patients need a doctor’s appointment at a hospital or can be treated at home. It enables the patient to suffer less and get maximum medical benefits without suffering much and wasting time in waiting. It is particularly important when the world is facing a pandemic, and it has already claimed millions of lives globally.

Medical records

Every patient has a different medical history and comes from a different country, speaking a language that may or may not be understood by the doctors and medical healthcare staff. They come with their past medical prescriptions and history that medical people need to know to facilitate the ailing person accurately. The right and accurate translation of medical records is significant. To cope with such scenarios, many hospitals overseas offer the services of a quick and paperless version of the translation. They have translators who are a call away. This is how medical translation covers patients and helps them in their time of need. It is crucial in cases when a patient is quite critical, and it would be words if the patient or physician, any one of these, fails to communicate with each other.

Reduced costs and expenses

Medical translation has been proven to be extremely beneficial for patients. One of the major advantages is that timely and quick translation helps in the early diagnosis and patients can further go for online consultation with physicians in foreign languages. It enables the healthcare staff to be accurate and efficient and at the same time for the betterment of patients as well. It not only reduces the cost for patients but also helps the healthcare system to manage well. According to recent findings and research, almost 70% of healthcare cases get solved because of diagnostic devices that help them to have early detection, eventually leading to improved results along with lower expenses.

Using medical devices and equipment

Engineers and medical researchers from different countries contribute to work on the production of medical devices and equipment. Medical equipment comes with a particular user manual and instructional leaflet that lets the operator help with the functioning and operation of the equipment. The developers and people who export and import medical equipment require the translated manual in the targeted language of the region where the equipment is imported.

Keep in touch

Translation of medical content further helps the patients and physicians to stay in touch and exchange words whenever needed. A good and healing psychological connection between both is evident. It helps the patient to feel free to express himself and his feelings and post medication phase. It is worth mentioning that patients have all the right to feel comfortable with their physician, and they should also trust him. Moreover, patients should also feel safe and secure with no phobia of getting harmed. So staying in touch over the boundaries and being in contact with someone overseas requires a communication plan and pattern. Only medical translation can help with this and can bridge the gap in language.

Conclusion

Medical translation services play a vital role in curing the ailments of patients. It allows the patients and healthcare staff to communicate with each other with a translator. Physicians treat their patients more accurately, eventually helping them to cure faster. It further allows the patients to communicate better and their medical records and medical history can easily be interpreted by doctors overseas. Moreover, it also reduces wait time, costs, and expenses.